Girl Plus Boy
by chasing tomorrow
Summary: .sasuxsaku. .one-shot. Turning his head slightly to smirk at the now outraged slut, he wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed me roughly, full on the lips with such passion that I couldn’t help but stare in complete shock at his beautiful face.


**Girl Plus Boy  
**One Shot  
Summary: _sasuxsaku _Turning his head slightly to smirk at the now outraged slut, he wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed me roughly, full on the lips with such passion that I couldn't help but stare in complete shock at his beautiful face.

**Girl: Sakura  
**Occupation: Journalist  
Status: Single and not likely to change  
Personality: Stubborn and hopelessly unromantic

**Boy: Sasuke  
**Occupation: What rich teenager would need a job?  
Status: Single… or is he?  
Personality: Complete player and amazingly handsome

girlxoxoboy

Walking into the office that fateful day, my frazzled manager deliriously told me that Naruto Uzumaki was out of the office dying of ramen poisoning again. After a five minute long rant about my careless colleague, she handed me a crumpled paper that looked thoroughly soaked with tears of distress and pleaded, "Write his article. It's due in three weeks, and he'll never make it back to the office."

Of course, I had no choice but to accept. After all, I needed this job and wasn't about to give it up. How bad could one more article be?

I unfolded the paper, careful not to rip the frayed corners…

**Article Topic:  
****Romance**

girlxoxoboy

Thrusting open the door, I stormed through the hall and directly toward the kitchen. Snatching the closest edible object, an innocent apple, I fumed and crunched it violently between my teeth.

Who would want to write about _romance_?

Anyone but me.

I wasn't your romantic girl who gushed over boys and dressed as if nudity were normal. No, I was your typical tomboy who ran around in sweats all day and worried about _normal_ things, like writing and food. Or at least I thought that was normal.

Leaning against the cold granite counter, I closed my eyes and began to dread the empty Word document beckoning to me. Finally deciding to grit my teeth together and finish the pain in one sitting, I walked towards the seemingly innocent computer and settled my hands on the keyboard.

Unfortunately, two hours later, I was still in the same position and growing more frustrated by the moment. I should have never caved in to my editor. Banging my fist in annoyance on the desk, I decided to just pick up the phone and lose my job.

However, just as my fingertips brush the surface of the telephone, a smile crept up on my face and suddenly my fingers were flying over the keyboard like never before.

**WANTED**

**Who: Looking for a boy who is single and taller than five feet four inches. Must be handsome and loveable.  
****Where: The Konoha Café  
****When: December 5 at 12:00 PM  
****Why: To find the missing boy in a lonely relationship.**

Still grinning stupidly to myself, I clicked print with defiance. This article was not bringing me down.

girlxoxoboy

December 5, 1:30 PM. So maybe this wasn't such a brilliant idea.

Sighing in defeat, I reached into my bag and retrieved my cell phone. Just as my thumb brushed the number pad, the bells on the door of the café jingled and my first customer walked in. Snapping my phone shut immediately, the smile returned to my face, until I actually opened my eyes to see who sat down in front of me.

Chouji.

I almost puked into my drink at this point, but was able to pull off a straight face at the last second. Clearing my throat a few times from shock, I decided to confront this obese pig and then call my editor.

"Sorry I came late," Chouji apologized with a wide smile between two mouthfuls of potato chips.

"No" was all I could mouth. I couldn't even fit his whole three hundred pounds of fat in my frame of view.

He frowned slightly, but didn't complain and stood up, lumbering over to the door. Before pushing it open, he patted his stomach and burped loudly, causing the waiter behind the counter to drop the glass he had been cleaning with a small tinkle.

Surprisingly enough, another boy wandered in. He completely matched the description! Handsome, tall…

He looked at me in a calculating manner and shook his head. "Girls are too troublesome," he mumbled before he even reached the table. Turning his back on me, he strolled back towards the café entrance.

"HEY!" I cried in desperation. "Come back here!"

But he didn't even turn around to look back at me.

Slouching in my seat, I began to fume again over my luck.

Suddenly, the volume at the next table began to escalate at an alarming rate.

"You slept with WHO last night?" a girl shrieked in a perfect crescendo. She paused, expecting a reply from the boy who sat across the table from her. He shrugged nonchalantly and continued to sip his drink.

If I could choose a boy to clone over and over again, it would most definitely be this boy. His features were soft and firm at the same time and his loose shirt did nothing to hide his well-toned muscles and perfect tan. His hair was midnight black and carelessly tossed into the perfect hairstyle. He was scowling, but he was still gorgeous.

"You're MY boyfriend!" the girl screamed, causing the waiter to drop another glass in surprise.

The boy pushed his chair back and stood up very slowly, not even acknowledging the hysterical girl who began to cry. "I have a new girlfriend," he stated flatly.

One moment, I was staring at the couple with my mouth opened slightly, and the next I was staring at the torso of the most handsome boy in Konoha. I looked up tentatively, wondering why in the world he had walked over to my table.

"Let's go," he whispered seductively to me, loud enough for the shocked girl at the next table to hear. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me up sharply. Turning his head slightly to smirk at the now outraged slut, he wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed me roughly, full on the lips with such passion that I couldn't help but stare in complete shock at his beautiful face. From the corner of my eye, I saw the waiter drop his third glass for the day.

Without a heartbeat of hesitation, he held my hand tightly and dragged me to the door, shoving it open and ushering me out in front of him. As soon as we were outside, he dropped my hand and began to walk in the opposite direction

"HEY!" I yelled in a hoarse voice. What the hell? Did he think pretending to be a stranger's boyfriend was normal?

He almost didn't turn around, but decided to anyway at the last second. "What?" he asked menacingly. Completely misinterpreting my infuriated expression, he asked again in that irresistible tone, "Did you want some of me too?"

Careful to keep a straight face, I replied, "Don't you think you owe me something?"

"Why would I owe you something?"

"Don't you know what an _apology_ or at least an _expression of gratitude _is?"

He cocked his eyebrows and smiled, flashing his gorgeous teeth. "And why would you want that?"

"Do you want to go to the police?"

"Is there a reason I would need to go to the police?"

Frustrated, I decided to end the question banter. "You just sexually _harassed _me!" I glowered at him.

"Oh, did I? Most girls enjoy that."

"I'm not one of them."

"I think you are. Girls tell me that I'm a good kisser."

I almost told him that he was. "I didn't _ask_ for you to kiss me!" I retorted with a blush tinting my cheeks.

Without further ado, I decided he would be refusing to follow me to the police, so I flipped open my phone again and dialed nine when a set of warm fingers curled around mine, efficiently flipping the phone closed in the process.

I forgot to breathe for a few seconds as he whispered into my ear, "What do I have to do to make you forget the police?"

I thought for a few seconds.

"Teach me how to love."

girlxoxoboy

He was still for a while before straightening and glaring a hole through my forehead. "No," he said simply. "Go turn me in."

Damn! And I thought I had him!

"Wait!" I called after him. "You really want me to report you?"

"Yeah!" he called back roughly over his shoulder. "They won't fine me for _lying_."

"I'm a journalist!" I threatened. "I can write anything you do into a crime!" I was screaming at the top of my lungs to him now in desperation, but I didn't care who was staring at me at the moment.

All of a sudden, he was by my side again. His glare was malevolent, but he grabbed my upper arm tightly and proceeded to drag me across the street.

"Where are we _going_?" I asked hysterically at least fifty times. But each time he just held onto me tighter, dodging crowds and breaking into a run every time we had to jay walk. I knew I was in more danger of being run over by a car than ever before in my life, but it was somehow exhilarating too.

Breathless, we arrived in front of the…

Library.

Of all places.

"What are we doing here?" I hissed at him as we walked in the double doors. Girls gasped and pointed at him, giggling behind their hands to each other and throwing death glares at me. He still hadn't let go of my arm.

We finally found the most secluded corner in the library. (It was difficult because the boy seemed to be a magnet to girls.) He sat me down firmly and took a seat opposite from me. Without any warning, the raven haired boy whipped out a pen and paper. My mouth fell open. Only _nerds_ did that! Did I pick the wrong boy? He didn't even notice my shock.

"What's your name?" His blank stare burned into my eyes.

Taken a bit off guard, I hesitated a bit. "What's _your_ name first?" I demanded.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

"Sakura Haruno."

"Boy."

"Girl."

It was instinctive.

"How long do we have?"

"Three weeks."

Sasuke stared into my eyes, and I stared back, afraid to break the connection. He dropped his gaze after a few quiet moments and began to write on the lined paper. Finishing, he pushed it towards me.

**The Contract**

**1. The girl must not call the police regarding the boy.**

I laughed inwardly. Haha! I have power over him! I raised the pen and began writing.

girlxoxoboy

**The Contract**

**1. The girl must not call the police regarding the boy.  
****2. The boy must use all of his effort and ability to teach the girl how to love.  
****3. The girl must follow everything the boy says, no matter what it is.  
****4. The boy cannot date or flirt with other girls for three weeks.  
****5. The girl must arrive to lessons on time.  
****6. At the end of three weeks, the girl must have a boyfriend.  
****7. The girl must pass a final test or else failed relationships are not the boy's problem.  
****8. The boy must teach the girl everything he knows about romance.  
****9. During all three weeks, we are a team.**

As he finished writing the last rule on the contract in perfect print, he looked up at me. I looked at him with mild surprise. I didn't expect that last one.

"Don't break the contract," he whispered acidly. "I hope these three weeks end soon."

girlxoxoboy

I leaned against the cold wall, waiting for Sasuke to show up. He was already twenty minutes late! I was thinking about calling my editor again.

It was starting to rain, which pissed me off even more. Finally, I saw a small figure carelessly sauntering over. "Where were you?" I yelled at him. I hated people who weren't punctual. "I've waited for twenty minutes and you just walk in like nothing's even happened! I'm turning you in! Screw the contract!"

He scowled at me and shoved a book into my hands.

Again, he never failed to surprise me. I gave him a skeptical look.

"Your homework," he grunted. "Walk around your house five times with the book on your head without dropping it."

I cocked my head to the side, still bewildered by his random request. He began to walk away.

"WAIT!" I cried after him. "Isn't there a lesson today?"

But he didn't stop.

Suddenly, three girls appeared behind me with suspicious smiles on their faces. "Sasuke told us you need a makeover," they chorused.

"WHAT THE HELL?" I yelled at his retreating back.

girlxoxoboy

I walked out of the dressing room with an unsure smile on my face. This was the first time I had worn anything less than a sweatshirt and sweatpants. Beaming as confidently as I could, I approached my three makeover helpers.

I hated Sasuke's guts at the moment, but these three girls were amazing! They introduced themselves as Ino Yamanaka, Hinata Hyuuga, and Tenten (she wouldn't tell me her last name out of embarrassment).

"You look gorgeous!" Ino squealed. "I knew I picked the right dress for you!"

Ino was pretty obsessed with fashion and herself. Mostly herself.

"Thank you," I offered nervously, trying to unsuccessfully lengthen the dress with my hands. I felt like a _hooker_. I have to admit, it wasn't over the line of slutty yet, but to someone like me, it was like being _naked_.

The dress was a simple black halter top with a deep blue waist band that tied in the back. By the feeling of the material, it must have been expensive.

Tenten smiled. "This was the dress Sasuke thought would look best on you."

Hinata was simply beaming.

"Now to fix your hair," Tenten said disapprovingly. "It's so frizzy!"

She carted me off to her personal salon.

girlxoxoboy

When I went home, I felt like the most beautiful girl ever. I was still wearing the black halter that the aggravating Sasuke had suggested for me, but I didn't feel cold at all. Sighing in exhaustion, I pulled my hair out of the intricate bun that Tenten had tied for me and dropped onto the bed.

I woke up groggy and still yawning. Looking into the mirror, I couldn't imagine myself thinking that I was beautiful last night. The make up Hinata had applied for me was all smeared from my tossing and turning at night and the dress was loose on my frame.

Sleepily brushing my teeth, I kept on staring into the mirror and wondering what Sasuke would say about my dress.

Oh wait.

He was a player.

I couldn't compare with his ten thousand girlfriends.

Shrugging at nothing in particular, I continued to scrub away at my teeth when my cell phone started ringing with a high pitched chime tone that thoroughly woke me up. "Hewwo?" I greeted with a mouth full of toothpaste.

"Did you just get up or something? You sound like shit," an icy voice spat out.

I was immediately awake. Toothpaste came flying out of my mouth onto the mirror. "It's six in the morning! How much earlier did you want me to get up?"

He snorted on the other end. "Meet me at the bar in an hour."

"What bar is open in the morning?" I shouted into the speaker, oblivious that I was talking to the dial tone at the moment. Rubbing my eyes of drowsiness, I flipped my phone closed and automatically read the time on the small window.

6:00 PM.

I swore so loudly that my neighbor knocked on my door and yelled at me to shut up.

girlxoxoboy

Panting and holding my side, I arrived at the front of the bar and searched frantically for Sasuke. Was he late _again_?

Then I saw him leaning against a wall, talking to a girl dressed in a low cut tube top who was practically pressed against him. I felt like tossing up my "breakfast."

I stalked over to him, ready to kill. He saw me just as I squeezed out of the crowd and pushed the girl off of him. She was determined though, and she hung onto his waist for dear life. As he tried to remove her iron grip from his torso, I walked over very, very, very slowly, seething the whole time, deciding how to rearrange his face.

"The contract," I bit out in fury.

"She's just a little drunk," he insisted.

All those plans suddenly dissolved when he met my gaze, and instead of punching him squarely in the nose, I proceeded to remove the girl who was still clinging off of my "teacher."

He didn't do anything, just stood there and watched me pry the whore loose from his body. I don't know why, but I just start crying and sobbing uncontrollably, right then and there with my nails sinking into the girl's unrelenting arms and Sasuke staring at me with his penetrating onyx eyes.

girlxoxoboy

We're back here again.

After yesterday's catastrophe, Sasuke decided to pick me up today from my apartment and drive me to the bar.

"How is this a lesson?" I complained as we approach the queue line to enter.

"You'll see."

After a short wait, we entered the too dim, too hot party center of Konoha. This was my first time in a place like this, so I clung to Sasuke for safety. He snorted in irritation but allowed me to stick to him like glue.

Like the most conceited man the world has ever seen, he marched right up to the DJ podium and demanded a slow song. A wave of silence swept the dance floor as the music abruptly changed to a melancholy tune.

Sasuke grabbed my wrist and, ignoring the girls swooning all around us, walked right to the corner of the dance floor, also known as the darkest corner where the people who can't actually dance go. Fortunately, the geeks all moved away when Sasuke gave them a significant look.

"Put your hands on my shoulders," he told me firmly, without even the slightest trace of embarrassment.

"You expect me to dance with you?" I asked him incredulously.

He didn't reply, but took my hands and placed them on his broad shoulders. Then he wrapped his arms around my waist in a secure hold.

It wasn't very romantic, considering the fact that I was trying to stay as far away from Sasuke as possible and he was perfectly fine with extreme intimacy.

"Relax," he whispered into my ear multiple times.

"I can't!" I exclaimed loudly, causing some heads to turn in disdain. "I can't dance for my life," I said quieter.

"Yes, you can," he reassured me, but there was an edge to his voice. He probably hated trying to soothe girls who weren't eligible to sleep with.

The song almost finished before I truly began to feel relaxed and at ease in his arms. It really felt like nothing, just like hugging a brother.

I was rudely awoken when the music morphed back into an upbeat rap song that I utterly despised. Rap was just not my thing.

Sasuke pulled me off of the dance floor and towards an empty table to the side. He directed me to a chair and took another one opposite from me. "Watch the door," he commanded. "Tell me which guy looks your type."

Wow, my teacher was weird. I was completely oblivious to what my preferences in men were, so I hoped that it was one of those things that just fell into place.

Male after male walked in as though there were an infinite number waiting outside, but none of them caught my eye. As I began to think that this assignment was simply impossible, a worthy candidate walked in.

He was handsome and looked vaguely familiar. His attire was casual and his hair was tied into a loose ponytail. Although he was not smiling, he seemed strangely kind and mysterious.

"Him," I said confidently, pointing to the man.

"Not him," Sasuke returned immediately.

I turned to look at my teacher. "You said I could choose whichever guy looks my type!"

"Anything but him," he said between gritted teeth.

"Then _him_." I pointed blindly towards the dance floor. Following the direction of my finger, I realized that I was pointing directly at Chouji, of all people. But that didn't really matter at the moment.

Sasuke didn't even bother to look at who I was pointing to. "Anyone but that man," he stated flatly, leaning across the table to capture my eyes.

"Just because you're my teacher doesn't mean that you're my master!" I spat at him. I stood up defiantly and whisked off to find that pony tailed man. He was quite easy to find, given that he was slightly taller than everyone else and the crowd seemed to drift away from him, giving him a two foot radius wherever he went.

Regardless of the questioning looks people give me, I tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned around slowly, gazing right through me.

"My name is Sakura Haruno." I stumbled on some of the words, but I kept the smile plastered on my face. I threw out my hand in a friendly gesture.

He took my hand, but not for a shake. Suddenly, he smiled crookedly and refused to let go of my hand. "Do you want me to buy you a drink?"

"Sure!" I replied with too much enthusiasm.

He led me to the bar and seated me on one of the cushioned stools. I felt like an elementary school student with the way he handled me, but it was comfortable to be spoiled sometimes. He ordered some fancily named drink for me and then turned to me, still smiling that irresistible smile.

"Do you go by the order?"

I was slightly taken aback. "The order?" I stammered.

"Hands," he squeezed my hand with his big one.

"Lips," he traced my lips with his fingertips.

Then he bent over, hands still on my hands and face and whispered, "Tits."

I blushed a great shade of red, but didn't say anything. This intimacy was exhilarating in a way!

My drink came and he passed it to me. I held the straw to my lips and began to sip the deliciously sweet drink. This stuff was good. I had to ask Sasuke what it was later because I was sure he was staring a hole through the back of my head right now.

"So do you go by the order?" the man pressed again.

I thought for a moment. The heat of the room was affecting me and I was beginning to feel a little light headed. "No, we can go by whatever," I said vaguely, still sipping at the drink. It seemed to clear my mind. Before I knew it, I was already stirring around the ice at the bottom.

"Come with me," the man whispered, pulling an arm around my waist.

Complying easily, I followed him to the geek corner.

Again, like with Sasuke, the people all scattered away from us and whispered behind their hands.

"Do you trust me?" he asked, cornering me against the wall.

"Yes," I replied without much thought. I needed more of that drink.

He smirked, and I smiled back lazily at him.

He grabbed my face with both hands and searched my eyes. Tentatively, he lowered his face so that we were level and pressed his lips against mine. I responded blissfully. After all, who could resist kissing one of the hottest men in town?

One moment he was smiling on my lips and the next he was breathing into my mouth. I was feeling slightly sick and didn't know what else to do, so I continued to follow his lead. Soon he was crushing me against the wall and trailing his lips down my neck. And then there was just a distant desire, and it all fell away.

girlxoxoboy

Suffering from a massive headache, I awoke on a warm bed with lots of blankets. Snuggling deeper into the warmth, I intended to fall back asleep until a cool hand touched my forehead.

My eyes shot open. Random hands did not appear in my house.

Oh. It was just Sasuke. He continued to stroke my forehead.

Hold on.

Why was Sasuke Uchiha in _my_ house, sitting on _my _bed, while _I_ was sleeping?

I shrieked loudly and sat bolt upright in my bed, scrambling ungracefully to the wall and using the blankets to cover myself.

No wait. I was still wearing my clothes.

I relaxed a bit, but didn't lower my defensive position.

Sasuke looked a little amused and had no physical reaction for a second or two. Then he was stern again and ordered, "Lay back down."

"Why should I?" I countered suspiciously.

"You already disobeyed the contract once. Don't try me again."

"Since when did I break the contract?"

"Since you didn't listen to me at the bar."

I narrowed my eyes and retorted, "It didn't really matter anyway. Nothing actually happened."

He raised his eyebrows at me and asked skeptically, "You seriously don't remember?"

"No. Why? Was it something important?"

He met my gaze and I felt like he was X-raying me.

"Nevermind. Go back to sleep. I'm leaving now." With that, he stood up and turned towards the door.

"You're just going to let a sick person fend for herself?" I asked defiantly at his back.

The front door slammed shut.

"You conceited, selfish, stupid JERK! I hate you!"

girlxoxoboy

I didn't see Sasuke for the rest of the first week. He wouldn't pick up his cell phone for his life, so I assumed that he was just going to ditch me. Guess this was finally the time for me to admit defeat and call my manager.

He'd never let that happen though. I knew he wouldn't.

He showed up the next day on my doorstep, as if my thoughts had called him.

"I'm sorry," he said sourly, looking in the opposite direction.

Shocked enough to accept the worst apology in history, I silently shifted to the side to let him in.

"I think we need to establish some parts of the contract again," Sasuke continued, still not making eye contact with me. "Do you have a whiteboard?"

I was forced to dig through my entire closet in search of a mini whiteboard I had owned in third grade. Through my frantic searching, I could hear Sasuke sighing and coughing impatiently. Like I said, what a jerk!

Scowling, I thrust a scratched whiteboard and pen into his hands. "What do you think I am? Ten?"

"At this moment, yes. It's time to play listen to the teacher," he said with a sly smile. My heart fluttered a little.

Still frowning, I sat down in front of the couch that Sasuke had perched himself on. "Okay, _teacher_. I guess today is going to be the real lesson?" I questioned.

"Of course," Sasuke replied absentmindedly, playing with the pen cap. Very slowly and meticulously, he wrote two sentences on the board.

**Listen to everything the teacher says, no matter what it is.**

**We are a team.**

What a lecture! This was easier than high school!

"Tell me, what did you do wrong at the bar?" Sasuke inquired, voice dripping with malice.

"Nothing," I declared.

"You didn't listen to me," he corrected. "You must listen to _everything_ the teacher says, _no matter what it is_. Or is that too difficult for you?" He asked the last question smugly.

He was trying to get out of the contract! "No, it's not too hard, teacher," I replied mockingly.

"Well done, _student_." He was careful to use the same mocking tone that I had used.

"Thank you, _teacher_," I said through gritted teeth. Sasuke was really pissing me off right now.

He slipped in another smile.

He needed to stop doing that!

Oblivious of my gawking at his face, Sasuke carefully underlined the second sentence on the whiteboard twice. "We are a team," he said firmly, not as teacher, but as a teammate. "Remember that."

"Yes," I muttered under my breath. The more I stared, the more breathtaking his body became.

Too soon, he broke the intensity in the air by continuing on with the lesson.

He lectured to me for two hours on correct speech, posture, personality, and flirting techniques, which were actually quite bizarre. It was probably everything that I would need to know about dating and more squeezed into the short time frame of two hours, but I began to nod off past the one hour mark.

As he finished his last sentence and I sighed in relief, he suddenly grabbed my chin and stared deeply into my eyes again, as though trying to decode my thoughts. I returned his gaze sleepily, and he soon dropped my head.

"Prepare for an exam on everything you learned for tomorrow," he said carelessly on his way out the door.

I threw a pillow at the closed door in rage.

girlxoxoboy

So it wasn't so bad. I received my _three hour long _exam back with minimal red marks and a score circled at the top.

**90 WORK HARDER**

I glared at Sasuke's smirking face, but couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Let's practice now, shall we?" he returned.

He was gentle and careful with me, trying to keep physical contact to a minimum. We went over the basics of dancing, hugging, and dialogue until I was pleading for a water break.

Sipping thankfully at my glass of cool water, I watched as Sasuke penetrated me with his onyx orbs. Putting the glass down with a soft thud, I asked him, "So tell me, what was so wrong with that man?"

He tried to feign ignorance. "What man?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

An uncomfortable silence settled over us, and I immediately regretted bringing up this topic. "If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to," I offered.

"He's my brother," Sasuke said at a volume so low I had to lean across the table to hear him.

As much as Sasuke surprised me before, this was the one time when I couldn't hide my awe. I gawked at him and repeated, "Your brother?"

"Itachi Uchiha." His eyes darkened. "He's always looking for new whores to waste his money on."

I seriously could not shut my mouth. I had been dealing with one of… _those_ men? "So… after I passed out…" I didn't know how to ask the question that was burning inside of me.

Suddenly, the atmosphere lifted and he shrugged indifferently. "I rearranged his face a little and brought you back home."

"Oh." What an impressive story!

Not.

"Back to your studies." He flashed his sly smile again.

girlxoxoboy

If there was one thing I was seriously dreading during these three weeks, it was this "final test" that Sasuke had mentioned in the contract. I imagined laboring over the most tedious ten hour exam known to man and instinctively began fiddling with my phone.

I was waiting for Sasuke again against the cold, white wall of my apartment building. That jerk! He forced me to show up on time and never failed to show up at least thirty minutes late!

Fuming inwardly, I leaned against the wall, thinking of murderous plans for revenge.

Finally, he came into view, and in need to release my anger on something, I chucked my cell phone directly between his two perfectly shaped eyes. Of course, it missed. I was never good at sports.

He chuckled a little under his breath and said, "Idiot."

"You JERK! Can you at least _try_ to be on time?"

Maybe calling your teacher a jerk isn't always a good idea, because that's when karma hit me. When I had hurled the little silver mechanism at Sasuke's face, it had landed in the street. It was probably scratched up, but cell phones can actually endure a good bit of bashing.

But the garbage truck probably was an exception. Just as I was screaming at Sasuke's sneering face, the garbage truck – yes, the _garbage_ truck – zoomed by and cleanly ended the existence of my beloved phone.

"MY PHONE!" I shrieked, forgetting all about Sasuke's bastard-ness.

All that was left was a fine silver powder that littered the street.

"My PHONE!" I repeated.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows at me, looking from me to the lump of dust on the street. The corners of his lips twitched a little as he fought back a smile. "Today's lesson—"

"I don't _want_ a lesson today! I want my phone back!" I wailed.

Wait, this was all his face's fault.

All males were sensitive to girls' tears right?

I started sniffling and crying all over the sidewalk, crumpling down to my knees and sobbing. Of course, I was laughing on the inside. He didn't do or say anything for five minutes, and I wondered if he was an exception to the sensitive male rule.

"It's just a phone," he suddenly muttered next to my ear. "You can buy a new one." He patted me on the back comfortingly.

"No money," I hiccupped.

Sasuke clutched my upper arm. "You are so annoying," he hissed under his breath and proceeded to drag me across the street.

Score.

girlxoxoboy

"Or you can choose these _couple phones_," the saleswoman emphasized, clearly annoyed that Sasuke was only looking at the individually sold phones. "They have a lot of _special features_ and _less dropped calls_," she articulated.

"Let's just get those!" I exclaimed excitedly, pointing to the pair of phones she was offering us.

"No," he stated stubbornly.

"I want those phones!" I yelled.

"Don't need a phone," he mumbled.

"Package those for me please," I told the saleswoman, ignoring the sharp kick Sasuke gave to my shins. "He's paying," I said sweetly, smiling at Sasuke. Hey, he was rich!

Unable to reject, he watched as the clerk eagerly began wrapping up the set of phones and punching numbers into a cash register. Sasuke paid and we began to head to the exit. He ignored me the whole way.

"It's just a phone!" I pleaded to him. I didn't want him to get mad at me this late. There was only one week left until the deadline and I couldn't finish my article!

His face hardened a little. As soon as we were outside, he turned me around and said, "Your final test begins now. By the end of tomorrow, you have to make me fall at least a little in love with you." He turned on his heel and briskly walked away.

"You, you….!" I screamed some obscenities at him, but he was probably just smirking the whole time.

How was I supposed to make him fall in love with me by _tomorrow_?

girlxoxoboy

Shit, shit, shit.

It was midnight and I still couldn't think of anything. What did he even like? I realized I didn't even know anything about him except for his name. Pacing in front of the mirror, I decided to do something really cheesy and simple – cake and flowers! Of course! The perfect solution!

"Boy, I wanted to tell you something. I… love you," I ended my rehearsal lamely. I couldn't do this! Suddenly everything he had taught me slipped away.

Whatever. Maybe he was just a simple guy.

I flopped down on my bed to sleep probably the only comfortable night of the week.

girlxoxoboy

In the morning, I finally realized my worst mistake.

I didn't have anything to wear.

Whispering colorful curse words under my breath, I ran to the closest clothing store in my usual set of sweats.

Luck was with me. I spotted Ino searching through the new arrival racks. Rushing over excitedly, I slammed right into her, almost causing a domino affect on the racks in the process.

"What are you doing?" Ino asked incredulously, smoothing out her perfect outfit.

"Need… new dress…" I panted.

She raised her eyes and laughed. "I actually just found the perfect one for you," she chuckled, handing me a champagne colored dress with wide white satin straps.

"Thank you!" I screamed, jumping up and down. The shoppers around us shot me annoyed looks, but I was already gone.

As soon as I stepped into my door, I began to make the cake. My mother had been paranoid about teaching me house skills as a child, so I could say that I was at least a little skilled with baking.

After a good two hours of mixing, pouring, and timing, I grinned happily at my masterpiece. The cake itself probably wasn't that brilliant, but I covered up all my mistakes with a good thick coating of frosting. He would never know!

I wrapped the cake up in the best box and wrapping paper I could find and rushed out the door after wiggling into the new dress, dropping by the nearest flower shop to pick up a bouquet of roses.

With my hands full of gifts, I ran to Sasuke's house and rang the doorbell at least twice in my eagerness. He answered it agonizingly slowly as I fidgeted with the ribbons on the bouquet.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I didn't let him say anything and started on a speech, "I know this is sudden and all but I couldn't say it before. And it's just that I can't spend another day feeling insecure without you because you're that important to me. And… I love you," I looked up into his eyes and passed the neatly package cake and bunch of roses to him.

He slammed the door in my face.

"WHAT THE HELL!" I screamed, unable to control my anger.

"One, eight in the morning is not a very romantic time. Two, you should look in the mirror before knocking on someone's door. Three, you can't give something thirteen roses. It's unlucky. And lastly, don't you think you're being a little too unoriginal?"

I had never heard him say so much in one breath.

"Well, if you don't want them, then I guess I'll just go give them to someone else!" I shouted at the wooden frame, stalking away angrily down the street, looking like an absolute lunatic carrying a cake, flowers, and wearing a dress at eight in the morning.

girlxoxoboy

Shit, shit, shit. It was noon and I still had not thought of anything. I had exactly twelve hours left to make a lasting impact on the coldest ice cube ever.

What do boys like, anyway?

I had only formulated one plan, which I liked to think of as Plan Z, or my last resort, but it was starting to mutate into Plan A.

Today I was going to make a fool of myself.

girlxoxoboy

"Are the lights ready?" I whispered urgently to Hinata.

"Y-yes," she stuttered shyly.

I sighed in relief. Maybe this plan was going to work! I smiled triumphantly to myself, imagining the absolute surprise and jaw-dropped expression on Sasuke's face.

"Wait," Tenten whispered to me quietly. "Did you invite Sasuke?"

Hinata and Ino stopped dead in their tracks.

"Shit!" The phone that Sasuke had bought me flew out of my pocket as I hastily flipped it open and began texting its partner phone (which was free, thankfully).

**The city park. Now.**

The other three girls laughed at me a little. "Good luck!" they wished me warmly as they piled into a shiny, expensive BMW.

After I waved nervously at their retreating car for a ridiculously long time, I began shifting back and forth on my feet. What if he lost the phone? What if he left it at home?

What if he was with another girl?

I shook my head. He wouldn't break the contract… right?

My fears were almost confirmed when, after forty minutes of waiting, no insanely, amazingly attractive man was in sight. Dejected, I decided that it had been hopeless from the beginning. What did I think I was? Superwoman? The moisture started filling my eyes as I walked over to the Christmas lights-covered fence.

So all along it was just another lost hope.

Forgetting my make up, I wiped the tears with the heel of my hand before they could escape.

"You look like shit."

I knew that voice anywhere.

Very slowly, hoping against hope, I looked up at the perfectly featured face that belonged in a movie, not in a dinky city park.

"Oh my god…" I whispered.

Forgetting my plan entirely, I flung myself into his chest and hugged him like there was no tomorrow. He was limp under my insane embrace, but at least he made no move to pry me off. I sobbed into his shirt, certainly creating a disgusting make up and teary mess on his name brand polo.

Very slowly, he pulled one of my hands from his impossibly lean torso and pried my hands from an all but forgotten remote control.

Oh right. My plan.

"Wait," I said hoarsely. Without releasing him from my grip, I pointed the remote behind my back and clicked the red button.

I could feel the glow of hundreds of Christmas lights behind me as the electricity powered them.

**I Love You, Jerk.**

"Idiot," he muttered.

I looked up into his face.

He returned my anxious gaze.

"You pass," he announced with a slight smile, messing up my hair with one hand.

girlxoxoboy

"What's the next step?" I asked joyously, licking some strawberry ice-cream Sasuke had bought for me as a prize.

"I give you a boyfriend." His face was carefully indifferent and emotionless.

"Oh," I said awkwardly.

He turned slowly to face me. Even though his eyes were empty of everything, they still managed to make my heart lurch with excitement. Damn! Hotness should be illegal!

"Tomorrow, the Konoha Café," he said emptily, looking away from me.

We walked home in silence.

I turned the key to my apartment very slowly, feeling Sasuke's piercing glare drilling through the small of my back. "Thanks," I mumbled without looking back. I closed the door carefully behind me and leaned against it, staring up at the dark ceiling.

He didn't leave for a very long time.

"Shit," I whispered for the hundredth time, covering my eyes with the back of my hand.

girlxoxoboy

After so much time with Ino, I had started to figure out how to dress properly. Today was my first official date with a guy! As sad as that may sound, I was pretty excited to meet this potential boyfriend Sasuke had found for me.

Pulling on a gold, sparkly baby doll style top and a pair of dark wash jeans, I bounced to the kitchen, quickly grabbing a PopTart and an elementary school style orange juice carton. I slipped into a pair of simple but strappy white heels and bounded down the stairs of my apartment building.

I tried to be environmentally aware by walking to the café, but I ended up running instead (which is quite a feat in heels) and huffing and panting as I reached the door of the café. Bending over with my hands on my knees as soon as I stepped in the door, I realized I must smell like crap.

"And you would be… Sakura?" a smooth voice asked.

I looked up from my knees and found myself face to face with _another_ hot guy. Honestly, I was getting a little sick of them always popping up from everywhere.

He smiled softly. His eyes weren't as intense as Sasuke's, but they somehow released a kind of… electricity.

"Hi, I'm Sai. Sasuke told me to meet you here."

girlxoxoboy

Sai was probably every girl's definition of Mr. Perfect.

Attractive, sincere, kind, caring, understanding, patient, optimistic, and just a little naïve.

I really couldn't ask for anything better. He was about three thousand times better than a certain Sasuke Uchiha.

It turns out that he was actually Sasuke's best friend (if that's possible) at school (yes, Sasuke goes to school even though he's a pure genius). They pretty much ruled the school and were the object of most girls' affections, not to mention eye candy. I could see how that worked out, so I asked Sai if he ever had a girlfriend.

"Never," he said playfully, ruffling my hair like how Sasuke had.

"Why not?" I asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "Just didn't like any of them."

"Then how about Sasuke?"

He smiled softly, glancing down at my questioning gaze. "Somewhere between twenty and thirty," he said casually, still peeking down for my reaction.

"Oh." What a player!

"He's only been serious about one though," Sai added with a smile.

"And that would be…?"

"Not telling."

girlxoxoboy

The day went by relatively fast. After sipping on some drinks at the café, we rode to the theme park in Sai's ultra-expensive, very shiny silver car, which included innumerable amounts of high tech gadgets that I poked at curiously. Finally, we settled down for dinner at a high end restaurant in the downtown area.

Sai laughed good naturedly when I puckered my brow and tried to pronounce all of these awfully foreign dish names before finally giving in and allowing him to order for me. The waitress, who was eyeing Sai, delivered our drinks before the entrees came. I had ordered a peach lemonade, which was the only entry I could read on the menu, and was thoroughly done with it within five minutes.

"Refill please," Sai requested to the waitress when she walked by. She whisked up my glass and glared at me. I never realized jealousy could be so scary.

"So how did you like today?" Sai asked light-heartedly, but he was very interested in the swirling patterns in his iced coffee.

"It was fun," I replied truthfully.

An extremely awkward silence ensued, but I didn't know how to end it, so I sat in my seat fidgeting with my bag.

"Why don't you go find him?" Sai was still very absorbed in stirring his coffee.

"Who?" I asked stupidly.

"You know. He's in the park."

I stared at Sai incredulously, letting the words sink in.

"You should hurry. He's not very patient, you know."

Suddenly, I realized what had been missing. It sounded dumb and cliché and absurdly absurd, but I finally, finally, finally, after these three weeks, realized what I had been looking for.

I wasn't looking for an article inspiration.

I wasn't looking for Mr. Perfect.

I wasn't even looking for a cure for ramen poisoning.

And all of a sudden, as if I had flung open the doors of a stifling prison to the refreshing waters and air of the ocean, I realized what I had to do.

Without a second thought, I grabbed my purse and ran out of the restaurant, leaving Sai stirring his coffee all alone.

girlxoxoboy

I ripped off my heels and ran through the streets like a hooligan, attracting curious stares and muted whispering behind hands. I didn't care. Nothing was more important right now than getting to the park. Why did I have to wear jeans today?

Damn. I needed to go faster. I pushed myself to my limit, practically sprinting through crowds of pedestrians.

Don't go, don't go, I prayed silently to myself, becoming more frantic by the moment.

Wheezing like an old man and clutching my side, I eventually exited the downtown area and ran through residential streets, coming closer to the finish line every second.

As soon as my toes touched the dewy, cold grass of the park, I slowed to a walk, trying to cool off unsuccessfully. I straightened my top as best as I could and slid my much abused heels onto my sore and painful feet.

Everything started to split into two as I staggered over to the fence that I had spent forever decorating with lights. Supporting myself with a hand between the crisscrossed wires of the fence, I searched the dark park in desperation. My gaze swept through the park at least five times, but I couldn't see anyone in sight.

Damn. Too late. Like always.

I bent down, my hands on my knees, still sweating like I had just run the mile. My gasping gradually turned to sobbing and I lowered myself until I was sitting on the wet grass, crying like a baby.

"You're an idiot."

I stopped sniffling, my heart clenching to a stop in my chest.

Not wanting to realize that the voice was just a hallucination, I waited until the sobs stopped ravaging my breath and rocked back and forth. Very slowly, afraid of false hopes and regrets, I lifted my eyes to where I had heard the voice.

And as if nothing had ever happened, my boy was leaning against the fence, staring up at the stars.

A wave of unbelievable relief and happiness washed over me, causing a new fit of crying.

"God, can you stop crying?" he mumbled under his breath. His expression was cold, flat.

"As if I don't want to!" I sniffed between ragged breaths.

Two very strong and smooth arms reached under my own and lifted me up. I looked up expectantly, but he still wasn't looking at me. I faltered a little. Maybe he just _happened_ to be here.

Hold on, Sakura.

Fate is all about coincidences.

But fate won't just come knocking on your door; you have to go find it yourself.

Suddenly, it all became so clear as I traced his face contours with my wandering gaze.

"So why are you here?" he asked icily, still staring at the stars.

"Someone told me to come," I half lied. My heart was either about to jump out of my chest or stop completely.

"Hn."

"Do you want to hear a story?" I stopped my voice from trembling by hugging myself.

"Hn."

"Well, I met the jerkiest boy on the face of the Earth on the one day I thought my life would be over."

I glanced over at him, but he had suddenly become very intrigued by a rock between our feet.

I returned to looking up at the moonlit sky. "I hated him so much because he forced me to do stupid things and I don't even remember how many times I swore at him and tried to slap him." I smiled foolishly. I sounded like an idiot. "But then he saved me once, and I guess that's about when I kind of knew he was the one."

The raven haired boy kicked the dirt a little, looking down at his shoes.

I continued, trying to stop the tears from spilling over. It was hopeless now. "And even though I screamed at him and disobeyed him, he was always there for me. And… I guess…"

There was silence for an infinite number of seconds.

"And… I guess…" I swallowed. "I love you."

I started crying again, realizing how stupid I sounded. How could an ordinary girl love such a handsome, amazing boy?

I opened my eyes after the first convulsion of tears, and suddenly he was there, just inches from my face, his breath blowing coolly on my forehead.

His eyes were contorted with pain and suffering, but somehow he still managed to be beautiful.

"Can you please stop crying?" he asked agitatedly, gathering me in a warm embrace.

I was all folded up in his arms, but I felt a sense of calm and leaned into him, knowing that this was the end, knowing that he was only doing this because he didn't know how to reject an ordinary girl with ordinary looks and less than ordinary romantic sense.

He didn't say anything for a very long time, as if he was contemplating something very deep. Finally, he pulled away from me and cupped my chin with his hand so that I was looking directly into his onyx eyes.

"I just wanted to say…" He paused. "Thank you for saying that."

I could smell rejection already. His next line would be, "but I'm not interested."

"Because I don't think I would have been able to say this if you hadn't."

My heart skipped a beat, waiting for his next sentence.

"I love you too." He kissed me on the forehead.

"Always and I guess… forever," he whispered, a smile playing on his lips.

I threw myself into him. "Thank you."

girlxoxoboy

**Girl Plus Boy  
**By Sakura Haruno

Three weeks ago, I didn't believe in romance. I thought it was stupid, naïve, time-consuming, and all together a little silly. Truthfully, who has time to worry about another when you don't even have enough time in a day to worry about yourself? Is romance actually efficient and necessary?

Three weeks ago, I met a boy, let's call him Mr. Jerk. He pushed me around, forcing me into everything that wasn't me. I hated him. He was always late; he was always rude; and he was always a very, very, very strict teacher. All in all, he was anything but Mr. Perfect. So why didn't I just cross him out of my life? Because I needed him, and he was always there, even though his words were cutting and icy.

The worst thing about Mr. Jerk is that he was an emotionless ice cube. And yes, I am serious. You could probably fit all of his emotions onto a point in a Cartesian plane, which, if you need reminding, has no length, width, or area. Sure, he was ridiculously handsome, but that just didn't add up to what I was looking for.

Now you probably think that I'm confirming my theory of romance being stupid, naïve, time-consuming, and all together a little silly. And truthfully, yes, it is all of those things at times.

But my story's not over yet. Even though he struggled to open up to me, he knew how to make me feel and look beautiful, how to look into my eyes and mesmerize me, how to send my heart racing with every carefully hidden caring action he did for me. And so, through his invisible care behind his mask of indifference, I found everything I had been searching for.

Although Mr. Jerk was, well, a jerk, he had this hidden beauty in him that I clung to desperately. And it was this concealed amazing grace that I fell in love with and that fulfilled my every desire and wish.

With him, and only with him, I felt sincere happiness, warmth, and confidence. Because of him, I am no longer just a girl and he is no longer just a boy. Because together, we are girl plus boy.

Finally, after all of this talk and pain and stupidity, I can confidently answer the cliché question that everyone has about romance.

Can hatred really turn into true love?

And my answer to that is…

Yes, yes it can.

…end…

Notes: Let's just say I love this story and I completely stole the plotline from my amazing friend Jane. I guess it's a little based on the Korean drama Witch Yoo Hee too. Hope you liked it (: Please please please review! It'll make me happy!


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